System for adapting press-on container lids to make them splash proof

ABSTRACT

The system and method invention herein disclosed and claimed is a system for adapting press-on container lids so that when placed on upright oriented containers, no liquid inside the container will be able to splash out and spill over.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention is associated with liquid containers and their press-onlids

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Beverages meant to contain hot liquids are often served with press-onlids that fit snugly over the lip at the top of the beverage container.These press-on lids typically contain a beverage exit aperture near oneedge and an air hole diametrically opposite the exit aperture.

The press-on lid is meant to reduce splashing of hot liquid from thecontainer, but the exit aperture provides a way for hot liquid to exitthe container and stain clothing or burn users' hands if the containeris jostled enough to cause the liquid inside to splash up against thelid bottom.

Lids have been invented that provide a sliding mechanism that can beslid over the aperture or away from the aperture. Similarly lids havebeen invented that have components that can be rotated into a positionover the aperture, or away from the aperture. And while these lids canprevent some splashing, they require one to manipulate a slide orcircular cover which adds distraction if someone is driving.

One lid has been invented that has the aperture in a portion of the lidthat extends downward past the top. When liquid splashes straight up, itfalls back down into the extended portion and drips back through theaperture into the cup. But, if the splash is high enough, it can exceedthe distance to the top of the lid and still spill over causing stainsor burns.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention herein disclosed and claimed is a system for adapting apress-on lid so that it is virtually splash proof. And, unlike priorart, it requires no manipulation, and will contain a splash that wouldbreach the recessed aperture prior art.

The system comprises an adapter that can be inserted inside theunderside of a press-on lid, is held in place there by its contact withthe lid's sides, and will prevent any liquid from splashing up throughthe exit aperture. Another embodiment is an adaptor meant to be insertedthrough the exit aperture, from the top of lid. Another embodiment ismeant to pushed on to the top of the container and then the press-on lidis added on top of it. All embodiments use the same underlying conceptwhereby vertical splash components are deflected away from the exitaperture while the container is upright. When the container is tilted toallow drinking or pouring of contents, the adapter is operative topermit the flow of liquid through the adapter and through the exitaperture.

The system can be used to retrofit or adapt existing splash-pronepress-on lids and can also be incorporated during manufacture allowingthe making of comprehensive splash-proof lids.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a typical press on lid. It is a top view, or bottom view,showing the air hole and the exit aperture.

FIG. 2 depicts the press-on lid from FIG. 1 in a side view. Again theexit aperture and air hole are shown.

FIG. 3 is one embodiment of the system showing a top or bottom view.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows a side view of a press-on lid such as the one in FIG. 2with the inclusion of the adaptor showing its alignment and angledorientation.

FIG. 6 shows an angled bottom view of the lid with adapter.

FIG. 7 shows an angled top view of the lid with adapter, showingalignment and angled orientation.

FIG. 8 illustrates another embodiment of the adapter system.

FIG. 9 illustrates how the adapter in FIG. 8 would be positioned in apress-on lid.

FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of the adapter system which preventssplashing from the exit aperture and the air hole.

FIG. 11 illustrates how the adapter of FIG. 10 is positioned in apress-on lid.

FIG. 12 illustrates another embodiment of the adapter system.

FIG. 13 is a side view of the adapter of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 shows how the adapter of FIG. 12 interfaces with the containertop.

FIG. 15 shows how the adapter of FIG. 12 interfaces with the press-onlid and the container top.

FIG. 16 shows how the adapter of FIG. 12 interfaces with the press-onlid.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Beverage cups meant for portable carriage of hot liquids are typicallymade of some type of heat resistant material and have a conical sectionshape with the larger diameter at the top and the smaller diameter atthe bottom. The bottom is sealed closed with a heat resistant material.

When the cup has hot liquid inside, users often seal the top with apress-on lid having a small air hole to allow drinking or pouring whilemaintaining constant air pressure and an exit aperture through which theliquid can be sipped or poured. Splashing and spill over typicallyinvolves liquid passing through the exit aperture rather than the airhole which is quite small.

When standing still or carried with minimal jostling, the press-on lidwill keep the liquid contained. However, shaking or jostling of thecontainer while walking or driving will often cause splashing of theliquid against the top of the lid. Any liquid that passes through theexit aperture may then spill over the side causing staining of clothingor furniture or burning of the user's hand or wrist.

The root of the splashing problem is that the exit aperture is orientedvertically so that any vertical splash components are unrestrained bythe exit aperture.

The splashing problem is significant enough that inventors have createda variety of splash-proof press-on lids. For example, some have asliding mechanism on top that can be slid over the exit aperture. Somehave a circular cover that can be rotated over the exit aperture. Inboth and similar cases, the closed cover will prevent or mitigatesplashing and spill over, but requires the user to cover and uncover theaperture, sometimes repeatedly.

Another prior art lid places the exit aperture below the top of the lidsuch that mild splashing may drop back into the recessed exit apertureand return to the container. However, splashes of a height that exceedsthe recessed depth can still result in spill overs and the problemsassociated with same.

The invention herein disclosed and claimed is a system that adaptsexisting press-on lids for splash-proof use while requiring nomanipulation. In addition, the adapter can also be integrated duringmanufacture with conventional press-on lids making a comprehensivesplash-proof lid.

As shown in FIG. 1, conventional press-on lids have an exit aperture 101and a tiny air hole 102. These lids are made of materials such that whenpressed over the lip atop a conical section beverage cup, the lid isheld in place by its firm contact with the container's lip. FIG. 1 isboth a top and bottom view.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the lid illustrated in FIG. 1. The lid iscomprised of vertically cascading cylindrical sections where the topmoststructure is coaxial with the bottom but has a smaller diameter. A thirdconical section with the smallest diameter is recessed below the top ofthe topmost structure. Hence, a concentric circular raised lip structureis formed in which the exit aperture (101) is located. The air hole(102) is typically located in the recessed cylindrical section's top butmay also be located in the raised lip structure diametrically oppositethe exit aperture.

It can be seen, clearly, that when the lid is put in place atop thecontainer, any splashing that produces vertical displacement of theliquid could allow liquid to exit the exit aperture. That liquid canfall into the recessed cylindrical area but may also fall down the sideof the lip structure spilling off the surface of the lid.

FIG. 3 shows one embodiment of the adapter system. As shown, in a top orbottom view, the adapter system is essentially semi-circular with acircular edge (301) and a diameter edge (304). As shown with 302, thepoints where the semi-circular edge and diameter edges meet are definedas the ends of the system. An area shown in the dotted area 303 isdefined as the blocking area. Said blocking area is located near thesemi-circular edge and essentially half way between said ends. Note thatthe adapter system has a plurality of holes essentially evenlydistributed over the surface but absent in the blocking area. Note alsothat small pillar structures 305 are located near the semi-circular edgeand away from the blocking area. These pillar structures will establishan angular displacement of the adapter such that the diameter edgepresses against the underside of the lid top whereas the semi-circularedge is displaced downward from the lid top with the displacementdetermined by the pillar lengths.

FIG. 4 shows the adapter system from a side view. The semi-circular edge301 and diameter edge 304 appear as straight lines. The pillar structure305 is shown and the second pillar would be blocked from view by thefirst.

FIG. 5 illustrates how a conventional press-on lid, such as depicted inFIGS. 1 and 2 is fitted with adapter shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Note thatthe circular edge of the adapter system, 501, presses against side ofthe press-on lid's upper cylindrical section close to the point wherethe bottom and topmost cylindrical sections meet (503). Note that thediameter edge of the adapter system aligns with the diameter of thetopmost cylindrical section and presses against the top (502). Whenproperly aligned, the adapter system thus angles down from the diameteredge creating a volume of space between said adapter system and the exitaperture location, and the displacement is determined by the length ofthe pillar structures 305.

FIG. 6, an angled bottom view of the press-on lid with adapter in placeshows that the adapter is aligned such that the blocking area 601 liesbelow the exit aperture 602 and is displaced from it because of itsangular orientation and the pillar structures (not shown) It can clearlybe seen that there are no holes directly below the exit aperture, thusany splashing liquid that hits the adapter in the block area isdeflected from exiting the lid. The blocking area, in fact, is largerthan the area of the exit aperture to allow for blocking ofnon-vertically oriented splash components, too.

FIG. 7 is an angled top view that shows the location and alignment ofthe adapter system within the lid. Here, again, when properly aligned,the adapter angles down from the diameter edge and the blocking area islocated below the exit aperture. Thus, again, the blocking area (shownas the dotted line area 701) is directly below the exit aperture, andthe exit aperture's projection on the adapter 702 is well within theborders of the blocking area. This will prevent any splashing of liquidwhile the container is essentially upright from exiting the lid andspilling over. As shown, the pillar structures establish thedisplacement of the semi-circular edge from the lid top. It would alsobe possible to reshape the semi-circular edge such that it wouldestablish its own displacement by virtue of its shape and fit. In thatcase, the pillar structures become optional.

When the container is tilted to allow sipping the beverage or pouringout the liquid, the liquid will pass through the adapter system's holes,easily, and fill the volume between the exit aperture and adaptersystem, and pass through the exit aperture.

FIG. 8 is another embodiment of the adapter system. This adapterembodiment, 801, is a conical section where instead of a circular base,the base is an elongated circle whose dimensions match those of saidexit aperture. This embodiment is meant to be inserted through the exitaperture, from above, and inverted such that the base is on top. Thebase also has a flared collar, 802, such that it will not pass throughthe exit aperture because the collar acts as a stop. In addition,indentations, 804, on the side of said adapter, located close to saidflared collar will cause the adapter to seat, securely, once pushedthrough said exit aperture. When fully inserted it converts the exitaperture from a vertically oriented hole to a set of holes on the sides(803) that are oriented essentially horizontally, or parallel to thelid's top. Vertical splash components and near vertical splashcomponents will not exit these holes, making the lid essentially splashproof, as before. The adapter's shape essentially deflects verticalsplash components away from the exit aperture whereas the adapter'shorizontally oriented holes will allow the fluid to pass through theadapter and exit aperture when the container is tilted for drinking orpouring.

FIG. 9 illustrates how the adapter of FIG. 8 is seated with respect tothe press-on lid. The flared collar 802 sits against the lid top aroundthe edges of the exit aperture and the adapter's sides are located belowthe exit aperture. Because the holes, 803, are essentially horizontallyoriented, vertical splash components, and near vertical splashcomponents may pass through the holes but will be re-directed intohorizontal splash components and thus not pass through the exitaperture. However, when the container is tilted for drinking or pouring,the adapter holes allow liquid to pass through the adapter and throughthe exit aperture.

FIG. 10 depicts another embodiment of the adapter system. It is intendedto deflect vertical splash components from both the exit aperture andthe air hole. The adapter, 1001, is circular. The additional area allowsit to deflect vertical splash components away from the air hole. As withthe semi-circular adapter embodiment, small pillars, 1003, act asstandoffs that keep the semi-circular portions angled away from the exitaperture and away from the air hole. Note that at the diameter there isa crease (1002) which allows the two portions to angle downward whilemaintaining its contact with the underside of the lid's top.

FIG. 11 illustrates how the adapter of FIG. 10 is positioned withrespect to the press-on lid. Note that the three pillars (1003) maintainthe displacement of the portions of the adapter, 1001, from the exitaperture and the air hole. The diameter 1002 is a crease that allows thetwo portions to angle away from the exit aperture and air hole,respectively. Again, the size and shape of the adapter could establishthe displacement angles without the pillars. In that case, the pillarswould be optional. In other words, if the crease is pressed against theunderside of the lid top, the two sections could not lie flat because ofthe adapter size and shape and its contact with the inside walls of thelid. As a result, they would both be angularly displaced relative to theexit aperture and air hole, respectively.

FIG. 12 is another embodiment of the adapter, 1201, that is first placedover the top of a container and then is covered by the press-on lid. Theadapter has a blocking area, 303, where no holes are present and that ismeant to be positioned directly below the exit aperture 101. There arealso no holes in the adapter directly underneath the air hole 102. Theadapter is circular and has an edge structure operative to snugly fitover the lip on top of the container.

FIG. 13, a side view of adapter 1201 shows the edge structure, 1301, andthe holes through the top surface of the adapter.

FIG. 14 shows the adapter 1201 and its interface with the container top.Note that the edge structure 1301 fits snugly against the container lip1202.

FIG. 15 shows the adapter 1201 and its interface with the press-on lidand container lip. Note that the exit aperture 101 and air hole 102 arewell above the adapter surface allowing venting by the air hole and flowthrough adapter and then through the exit aperture.

FIG. 16 shows the adapter oriented with respect to the press-on lidwhere the blocking area of the adapter is positioned directly below theexit aperture. Note that the surface of the adapter is displaced fromthe top of the press-on lid such that air and fluid can flow through theair hole and exit aperture when the container is tilted.

Note that unlike prior art, there is no cover that needs to be slid orrotated over the exit aperture. Note also that unlike prior art, thereis no need to allow for draining of small splashes back into thecontainer. The adapter system, once in place, will prevent splashingfrom exiting the container so long as the container is essentiallyupright. When the container is tilted for drinking or pouring ofcontained liquid, the adapter allows the liquid to flow into the volumebelow the exit aperture and to exit the container.

In all embodiments, hole sizes, numbers and positions may vary toaccommodate a liquid's porosity and intended flow rate. The circularedge (semi-circular or larger) and diameter edge may be larger orsmaller depending upon the dimensions of the container or press-on lid.

The adapter system can be used to create adapters for retrofitting oradapting existing press-on lids for splash-proof performance. Similarly,the adapter system can be integrated into the manufacturing of press-onlids producing a finished product that is comprehensively splash-proofand needs no retrofitting.

The adapter could be made of solid material such as that used in typicalpress-on lids. The adapter's thickness and semi-flexible characteristicsare such that it will fit snugly inside the sides of the press-on lid,and once positioned, will remain fixed in that position. The adaptersmay be made of other materials that provide the same deflection actionand flow-through holes but which may be more biodegradable than plasticlid material.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system comprising: A semi-circular disk-likestructure; Said semi-circular disk-like structure made of solid materialthrough which liquids will not flow; A blocking area on saidsemi-circular disk-like structure near the semi-circular edge of saidstructure and essentially halfway between the ends of said structure;Said semi-circular disk-like structure having small holes evenly spacedon the semi-circular surface through which liquid can freely flow; Saidsmall holes are absent from said blocking area.
 2. A system as in claim1 further comprising: Said semi-circular disk-like structure operativeto flexibly fit into an existing press-on lid and remain held in placethrough firm contact with the sides of said press-on lid.
 3. A system asin claim 1 further comprising: Said semi-circular disk-like structuresized so that when said flexibly fit in a said existing press-on lid,and remain said held in place through said firm contact with the saidsides of said press-on lid, said semi-circular disk-like structure willnot be able to lay flush against said press-on lid top, but instead willbe angularly displaced away from said press-on lid top while thediameter edge is flush with said press-on lid top.
 4. A system as inclaim 1 further comprising: A pillar like structure, or plurality ofsaid pillar like structures, near the semi-circular edge andperpendicular to said adapter's surface operative to act as a standoffwhich angularly displaces the said semi-circular edge away from saidpress-on lid top while said diameter edge is flush with said press-onlid top.
 5. A system comprising: A conical section structure whose baseis an elongated circle; An elongated circular collar at the said basewhose dimensions are larger than the said base; Said small holes alongthe sides of said conical section such that said small holes areessentially parallel to said base.
 6. A system as in claim 5 furthercomprising: Indentations in said sides located below said collar andparallel to said base.
 7. A system comprising: A circular disk-likestructure; Said circular disk-like structure made of solid materialthrough which liquids will not flow; A said blocking area on saidcircular disk-like structure near the circular edge of said structureand essentially halfway between the ends of a diameter crease; Saidcircular disk-like structure having said small holes evenly spaced onsaid circular surface through which liquid can freely flow; Said smallholes are absent from said blocking area.
 8. A system as in claim 7further comprising: Said circular disk-like structure operative toflexibly fit into an existing press-on lid and remain held in placethrough firm contact with the sides of said press-on lid.
 9. A system asin claim 7 further comprising: Said circular disk-like structure sizedso that when said flexibly fit in a said existing press-on lid, andremain said held in place through said firm contact with the said sidesof said press-on lid, said circular disk-like structure will not be ableto lay flush against said press-on lid top, but instead will beangularly displaced away from said press-on lid top when said diametercrease is flush against said press-on lid top.
 10. A system as in claim7 further comprising: A said pillar like structure, or plurality of saidpillar like structures, near said circular edge and perpendicular tosaid adapter's surface operative to act as a standoff which angularlydisplaces the said circular edge away from said press-on lid top whensaid diameter crease is flush against said press-on lid top.
 11. Asystem comprising: A circular structure with an edge structure operativeto provide a snug fit with the top lip of a container; Said circularstructure made of solid material through which liquids will not flow; Asaid blocking area on said circular structure near the circular edge ofsaid structure; Said circular structure having said small holes evenlyspaced on said circular surface through which liquid can freely flow;Said small holes are absent from said blocking area.